


First Trials

by Zappy



Series: Mila Verse [5]
Category: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: Gen, mentions of bullying
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-17
Updated: 2017-06-17
Packaged: 2018-11-15 04:46:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,204
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11223618
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zappy/pseuds/Zappy
Summary: Julian has been a father for two weeks and already is discovering that things will be far from easy.





	First Trials

**Author's Note:**

> Mentions of rather harsh bullying here, and I'd like to say that kids can be quite cruel, especially when they see adults doing something similar.

Julian had been a father for two weeks and he’d only gotten roaring drunk once. Once was probably bad enough, but it was the only way he could cope with the realization he was a _father to a six year old girl_ the day after she’d arrived. Sure, he’d had weeks to prepare for this, it should have sunk in long before then. But it _hadn’t_ , and Jadzia had patted his back as he moaned about how he had no bloody idea what he was doing and why did anyone let him do this!? **  
**

Thankfully the hangover the next morning was fixed with his custom made cure and he could get on with the day. He still had no idea what he was doing, was for once in his life flying blind with no solid plan of what he was doing or how he should act. The only thing he knew was that he wasn’t going to act like his own father. It had only been two weeks and already Julian knew he’d never change _anything_ about Mila, that he loved every bit of her. That was normal right? Jadzia told him that was normal.

She wasn’t completely comfortable yet, but Julian wouldn’t push her. They avoided names as much as they could, though Julian couldn’t resist using all those nicknames he’d heard other parents use for their kids. Mila still took a moment to realize that was _her_ name, so he figured it would be easier that way.

They had awkward moments, moments where they both weren’t sure what they were supposed to do, but Julian pushed through that awkwardness like he did when he knew people were finding him annoying. At least Mila didn’t feel that way, she was always worried it was the other way around.

Julian often did not know what to do. But he instinctively knew what he _wanted_ to do when Mila came home from class one day and looked close to tears. She didn’t bring any attention to her distress, trying to walk by him with her little school bag to her room as if nothing was wrong. Julian knew enough to not let that happen. “Stardust? Come here.”

He tried to avoid any statements that might be taken as orders, wanted always to give Mila the choice of what she was going to do if he could. But he really needed answers to this one, so he so softened it by keep his voice low and gentle. She only hesitated for a moment, but kept her head down until Julian slowly lifted it so he could look into her honey eyes. “What happened, why are you crying?”

Mila bit her lower lip, her tiny canines poking out and Julian couldn’t help but find it adorable. His momentary distraction ended when she mumbled something he was sure a normal human wouldn’t have heard. Despite the fact his blood had run cold, he forced himself to ask, “Repeat that, sweetie?”

Her eyes went downcast, and it shattered him all over again when he heard her repeat in a louder mumble that degenerated into full on crying, “Some of the kids called me spoonhead, and a butcher, and Professor O-O’Brien told them to stop, but as we left class one shoved me and-and, asked if I’d die if they put me in a freezer because I’m cold blooded.”

Julian was aghast, and trying very _very_ hard to contain his fury lest Mila think it was directed at her. To his horror, she continued by sharing exactly what happened with the perfect memory of a Cardassian.

~

 

> _“Hey Spoonhead!”_
> 
> _Mila looked over at them, but didn’t say anything. She’d heard it before. The Bajoran boy a year older than her turned to his friend. “See! Told you there was one here now!” His voice rose as he turned back to her, “What’s the matter, spoonhead? Don’t like the cold?”_
> 
> _She hid her hands in the large fuzzy sleeves of the thick cardigan Julian had gotten her. Her shoulders crept up as she tried to withdraw into herself, not wanting to admit how cold it was on the station, how cold it had been all her life. “It’s only…a little cold.”_
> 
> _The boy shoved her harder, causing her to almost topple over and drop her bag. “What’s the matter? Don’t want to talk?” He sneered and looked back over his shoulder at his friend who had the same look on his face. “Told you - they’re all the same. Still think you’re something, little butcher? Why don’t you run back to Cardassia, then? Like all the rest of the butchers?”_
> 
> _“I didn’t hurt anyone.” Mila replied defiantly, reaching to grab her bag as she hoped they’d leave. They didn’t. But the boy’s eyes widened and his face turned a bit red, his body language told her he was getting flustered._
> 
> _“Sure you haven’t. We know_ all _about your sort - what’s Bajoran taste like, snakey?”_
> 
> _Mila glanced around them, so many people were staring, all of them with the same look she’d always seen on adults. Most adults. Right, she had Julian now, he was waiting at home, she’d be late. Garak said to never be late to anything, punctuality was important. While she wasn’t looking at them, that seemed to make the boy even more mad. “Hey- if we put you in a freezer would you die? Lizards do, right, if they get cold enough.”_
> 
> _This was too much, she had to get home, she had to leave, she saw Mrs. O’Brien turning the corner with a deep frown and a dark look on her face. Mila turned and ran. The boy’s voice followed her for a moment, “Then maybe a Bajoran will find out what you taste like, eh, butcher?”_
> 
> _Right after those words Mrs. O’Brien shouted something, but Mila was too far away by then, she couldn’t hear it anymore. Late. She was going to be late._

~

Julian pulled Mila close, wrapping her up as much as he could, her tears soaking into his uniform. He did his best to shush her soothingly, all the while wrestling with his pure outrage. He needed to call Keiko first, and then he’d be making a call to Odo. He wasn’t about to let this stand. In the meantime, he looked down at his little girl, “Stardust, would you like to meet a friend of mine?”

Mila looked up at him with her big honey eyes, glassy from her tears, and blinked in confusion. Julian smiled, “I think you’ll like him. His name’s Kukalaka, and he’s been my friend since before I was your age.” Still confused, she nodded, and Julian scooped her up and lifted her in his arms. She was heavier than an average human child her age would be, but thankfully his augmented strength compensated for that, and he wasn’t worried about her realizing just yet that he shouldn’t be able to do this.

Going to his room, he showed her his worn teddy bear, and the smile it caused her lessened his anger…just enough for now. Just enough to get through dinner and put her to bed before he decided to make sure this would _never happen again_.


End file.
